The Trooper Scott Hinshaw Story (and More)

Fellow Sheepdogs and Shepherds:

Lots to cover this week so please take a few moments to read both my newsletter and the Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers (FCPO) Spring Newsblast now posted at www.FCPO.org.

From Chattanooga PD Officer Jonathan Parker of Covered Law Enforcement writes:

I just got the new Covered LE 550/paracord wrist bands in, and they look great! They are custom designed and hand made by an individual who has "bought in" to the vision of Covered LE.

To order and check out all of the Covered Law Enforcement products, go to www.CoveredLawEnforcement.org and www.facebook.com/CoveredLawEnforcement.

I just got mine – very cool and an outstanding witnessing tool!

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The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry in the News:

(1) http://policelink.monster.com/ ​training/articles/156083-polic ​e-work-prayer-and-chaos.

The article is soft on the gospel but already has well-over 2500 hits and the comments present a great op to share Christ and THE (only) plan of salvation with others.

(2) In that same vein, check out:

www.policeone.com/off-duty/articles/3951538-Video-Slain-officer-speaks-of-faith-vs-police-work/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

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Colorado State Trooper Scott Hinshaw to Speak Tomorrow Evening!

Just a final reminder that Colorado State Trooper Scott Hinshaw will be our very special guest speaker tomorrow (Thursday, July 14th) starting at 7 PM at Calvary South Denver in Littleton (www.CalvaryCSD.org for directions). Scott's testimony is not to be missed and is "The Rest of the Story" from the devotional I wrote on him for Grant Wolf's outstanding compilation Stories of Faith and Courage from Cops on the Street. Invite a colleague, spouse and a friend to this very special this event that is also open to the general public.

That said, Scotty and Susan will be leaving for California right after his presentation in the wake of today’s news that Susan’s mother passed away after a long illness and that her father is now hospitalized himself. Please pray for Susan’s dad, their family, and for Scott tomorrow as well – the enemy clearly does not want him coming to share with us!

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Speaking of prayer, the latest PRAYER REQUESTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS have been posted here on our website and are updated regularly.

Among them is an urgent request for Snyder (TX) Police Office Darrell Campbell who was shot in the head yesterday and is in critical condition. Here is the latest: www.ktxs.com/news/28531585/detail.html.

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MESSAGE RECAP

My message for last week’s profession relevant Bible study is entitled “Cops Trained and Ready for Battle.” Here’s the recap that you can adapt for your own studies and devotion time:

Our primary text came from Joshua 24:14-27 and v. 14-15 in particular:
Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seems evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Georgia officer Brian Stewart, in his outstanding Daily Armor for Cops (www.leos4him.com/DailyArmor.html) devotional series, writes,

“In Joshua 24, we see that Joshua is very old and close to death. Though he has made mistakes, he has also been a faithful servant of the Lord. He has led God's people into the Promised Land and conquered army after army as they followed the Lord. In the beginning of the chapter he reminds the people of all that God has brought them through, and how He never failed them. After he rehearses their journey and God's faithfulness, we come to verses 14 and 15. Here he tells them to fear the Lord and to serve Him in sincerity and truth by putting away all other gods. Then I can almost see him, with that old and tired body, how he must have stood straight with his shoulders back and chest out, and then made one of the most famous statements in the entire Bible. Please allow me to paraphrase, If you do not wish to serve the Lord, then choose who you WILL serve! You can serve these other gods if you wish, but as for me and my house WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!

Like Joshua we need to reflect on all that God has done for us. Depending on how long you have been a Christian you can no doubt think of many times that God has brought you through deep water. Maybe you have seen times of financial difficulty, or sickness, job-related issues (IA’s, shootings, etc.) or the loss of a loved one. Through it you sensed His presence strengthening and sustaining you. That is reason enough to serve Him, but when you look at His unimaginable sacrifice He made on the cross for you and I, then we have no reason to even consider forsaking Him for other gods. Joshua told them to choose the gods of that day or the Lord because they could not do both.”

There are a plethora of “other gods” we can choose to serve: The so-called gods of various false religions and cults; the gods of money, power, self-indulgence, and pride; the god of ANY sex outside of biblical marriage (between a man and woman only) and pornography; the gods of ministry (yes, MINISTRY) and “police god” (our work) and so on. Bottom line is that God will not force us to choose Him. On the contrary, He gives us the free will to choose whom we will serve because He wants us to willingly choose Him. However, understand that choosing Him means choosing complete loyalty and giving Him ALL of your devotion. Are you sold out for God? Are you serving Him with all your heart, soul and mind both on “the job” and at home? If not, then today is the day to choose whom you will serve!

Rest assured, following Chris with this kind “all in” service and devotion WILL bring opposition. Psalm 144:1 says, "Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle." Folks we’ll never experience God in powerful ways by acquiring Bible knowledge alone. It is only when that knowledge is used in the heat of battle that you will know the reality of what you've learned intellectually. Otherwise, it remains only an exercise in “spiritual gymnastics” that yields little fruit. David – the author of that passage -- became a great warrior (cop) and leader of a nation at an early age. His training ground was his job as a shepherd in the open fields. When bears and lions sought to take his sheep, he personally fought them. This was his early preparation for future battles and the victory against Goliath was the first real competition amongst a discerning audience to reveal how well his training (and reliance on God) prepared him.

In sports you discover how well you handle pressure by competing. You can practice all you want but never know how you will do until you get off the bench (pew), enter the game and test what you've learned and practiced in “the crucible.” The same with our training as cops and soldiers (academy, field training, military training, etc.) – it is only when that training is tested in the field – the BATTLEFIELD -- that you’ll discover how well you are truly trained and ready for battle.

This same principle applies to our training and combat as Christians: Have you ever prayed with someone in public? Have you shared your faith with your fellow officers? Have you ever personally led someone to Christ? Have you ever truly served others for the sake of the Gospel? Have you ever taught a Bible study? If you said no to these and related questions, you are not truly engaged in the fight. Today let’s seek God’s forgiveness for being ROD (retired on duty) Christians and ask Him for the grace to step onto the battlefield.

Let me close with this from Scottish Pastor Alistair Begg teaching on Revelation 12:7-9 (And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought back, but they did not prevail... So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.)

Alistair writes, “War will always rage between the two great sovereignties until one or the other is crushed. Peace between good and evil is impossibility; to pretend otherwise would signal a victory for the powers of darkness. Michael will always fight; his holy soul is vexed by sin and will not endure it. Jesus will always be the dragon's foe, and not in any quiet sense but actively, vigorously, with full determination to exterminate evil. All His servants, whether angels in heaven or messengers on earth, will and must fight; they are born to be warriors. At the cross they enter into a covenant never to make a truce with evil; they are a warlike company, firm in defense and fierce in attack. The duty of every soldier in the army of the Lord is every day, with all his heart and soul and strength, to fight against the dragon.

The dragon and his angels will fight back; they are incessant in their onslaughts, prepared to use every kind of weaponry. We are foolish to expect to serve God without opposition: The more zealous we are, the more we can expect to be attacked by the ruffians of hell. The church may become lazy, but her great antagonist does not; his restless spirit never allows the war to pause; he hates the woman's seed and would happily devour the Church if he could. The servants of Satan share a great deal of the old dragon's energy and are usually an active crew. War rages all around, and to dream of peace is dangerous and futile.”

Fellow warriors, glory be to God, we KNOW how the war will end! The great dragon will be cast out and forever destroyed, while Jesus and those who are with Him will receive the crown of glory. So let us sharpen our swords TODAY and ask the Holy Spirit to make us ready for the fight. Battle has never been so important and the crown never so glorious. To your positions as “warriors of the cross” – and may our Lord tread Satan under our feet!

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The FCPO Spring 2011 Newsblast is posted at www.FCPO.org: Great info, photos and more – enjoy!

Train hard, be safe, but stay in the fight both on “the job” and for your families and colleagues.